Oren
by Tawnyfeather
Summary: A ferret is chosen to save the world. Can he do so in time? Sorta Redwallish, sorta original. Rated T for later violence. Rating may later change.
1. Prologue

**Oren **

**Prologue: The Vision**

**No sunlight** shone down through the leaves of the Ancient Forest of Roola. The forest floor was littered with dank, damp leaf mold and other undergrowth that created a very strong musky scent that rose up off the ground and spread out through the forest, seeming to cover it with an invisible mist of scent.

The place was devoid of all creatures except two, both wore long, hooded black cloaks and judging by the thin, bushy red tails protruding from the hems of their cloaks were squirrels. They were Marldiv and Fluad, the brother and sister Keepers of Roola, for they alone had the power to protect, and a deeper understanding of the Earth and it's ways than any other creature on it.

Fluad took off her hood first and showed her brother her Keeper's necklace, it was an azure blue swirled together with aquamire green embroidered by silver and attached to a metal chain. Marldiv went next, and as he took off his hood he smiled coyly to himself and showed his sister his Keeper's necklace, it was deep amber swirled together with deep hazel brown embroidered by gold and attached to a metal chain.

It was an ancient ritual they performed so that they could recognize each other in a Meeting, like now. Marldiv had called them together to discuss the Vision he had had late last night while visiting the Realm. All he had allowed his messenger to know was only enough to pique Fluad's curiosity. He knew that that would secure a Meeting.

For one Keeper to Meet with another Keeper, even if they were brother and sister. You see, Keepers were solitary creatures born and bred, their quiet understanding of the world and others made others uneasy, this they know and so separate themselves from others as much as possible. They can meld into crowds easily, but because of their solitary nature they decide to veer away.

"What's this Vision I've been hearing about, Marldiv? And it's useless to try and hide it from me!" Fluad chided her brother sharply as she caught his sly glance and the fumbling movement of his paws behind his back. "You know the penalty of trying to hide a Vision from your fellow Keeper. Really, brother, I thought you knew better!"

Marldiv shrank a bit and his voice adopted a slight whining tone as he said, "Now, really sis. To accuse me of such a thing! It's unspeakable!" he looked so hurt and pitiful that Fluad nearly broke into all out laughter before recovering fully to apologize to him.

"Sorry M-Marldiv." She tried not to laugh openly, but couldn't help cracking a grin all the same. "Now, to the Vision?" her grin had completely disappeared from her face and a twinge of impatient eagerness had crept into her sweet young voice, though she was quite old.

"Ah. Well now, let's see, the Vision." A strange wistfulness had stole over his voice and features as he spoke.

"I was sleeping peacefully on the Normal Dream Plane, when the Door to the Realm appeared between the vine doorway. You know how it is. The Door opened to infinite blackness beyond and I, nothing else, got sucked in. two jet black eyes 'shone' straight at me in the dark.

"I can tell you, Fluad, it near scared the life right out of me, that did! And it wasn't because those eyes were black and they were shining in the dark, it was because they were familiar.

"Remember my dear old Guardian, Melchaft? of course you would! He was, after all, the son of your own dear Guardian, Meldroesa.

"Anyway, the only thing I could see was Melchaft's eyes, until they had imprinted themselves in my mind. Then they sort of loomed in my mind's eye to depart their Vision.

"Now I can't say why, but even before I saw the Vision I sort of felt it. And it was bad. I was all nerves, not really anticipating the Vision, but it happened anyway.

"A blinding flash of light, a coldness that took the breath right out of me, deeper blackness than that around me, and an earsplitting howl so full of pain and loss it was all I could do not to scream. Throughout all this, from the flash of light to the horrific howl, I heard voices. But I couldn't make 'em out, you see, there were many voices, all mashed together. Ending, as usual, with a blackout, from which I awaken on the Normal Dream Plane."

After that there stretched a long silence. Then Marldiv and Fluad looked at each other and laughed uproariously. Some creature wasn't going to find the Vision quite so funny.


	2. Stormy Weather

**A/N: Sorry this one and the previous one are so short. I need to type up the second chapter (longer I promise0 and finish writing the third. Anyway, read and enjoy!**

**Chapter I: Stormy Weather**

**Purple-blue** periwinkles dotted the hillside, waving gently in the strong breeze. Dark-gray clouds covered the sky as far as the eye could see, threatening rain.

On top of the hill, dressed in a deep sea-blue dress, was a pure white artic fox. Her fur was thick, and her sea-green eyes sparkled and swam with the mysteries of the void. Her name was Renna, and as she was known here about as the Sorceress.

In her dainty right paw she held a staff, the symbol of her high office and power. The staff was gnarled and made of a very stout hard wood from a distant far-off land, in the top, fixed firmly, was a leaf-green marble which increased her power.

Suddenly the piercing hunting cry of a northern forest falcon sounded from above.

Renna looked up to see the falcon, a majestic-looking raptor with fierce golden eyes and dark buff-colored feathers, circling above her. Though it's name was Rator, it was known as The Redeemer. Renna's falcon was rather fierce, but very protective.

Rator called again for rain, then both he and Renna ran downhill, as she went, a change came over her. Her muzzle became sharper, her nostrils moved back to it's base, her tail fanned out and grew feathers, her body became covered with dark buff-colored feathers, though her belly remained white, her hindpaws became scaly and her claws extended, her forearms became wings and with a rapid flap she lifted off the ground and took flight. She was a northern forest falcon.

As she and Rator flew, Renna asked him for a weather report in the silent telepathy language of birds. Rator replied, _"It good weather up the Den. It will only begin to rain after we have arrived there if we fly fast enough."_

From that point onward they flew on in silence, over forest, wood, hill, valley, and dale. Finally they reached a long, varying mountain range that seemed to end the world and stretched out as far as the eye could see to either side.

Without the slightest hesitation, both falcons soared over the craggy, reaching peaks, searching for a special hole in the mountainside. Just as the turbulent winds picked up and swirled rain about to obscure vision, Rator let out a jubilant squawk to let Renna know he had found the Den.

Telling her bird to get her there and placing her faith in him, she plummeted downwards and allowed Rator to guide her wings, mind, heart, spirit, soul, and body toward the entrance.

Almost as soon as they alighted at the entrance and Renna had changed back into her original form, the rain picked up and the sky growled thunder while lightening flashed brilliantly up above.

It was only when they had scampered down the tunnel a little and crouched, sheltered from the driving rain, and soaking wet and panting, that Renna remembered. "Oh _no_! I've forgotten my staff!"

Clis had been watching Renna and Rator from the thick undergrowth of one of the forests they had flown over ever since Rator appeared.

He alone had witnessed the puzzling transformation of Renna from artic fox to northern forest falcon. And though it had frightened him at the time, now it only puzzled him.

The young dog-stoat had watched as both birds took flight, but he also noticed the gnarled staff that Renna had left behind. Clis missed little or nothing with his sharp, keen glittery little black eyes.

Waiting, the brown stoat pressed his buff-colored belly against the forest floor, nervous of being seen from above. Falcon eyes were no joke. They were as sharp as his and could pick out more from their Arial bird's-eye view. If he was caught hanging around here and that falcon saw him, he'd be dead before he could utter the word "ow".

When they were out of sight (beyond his range of vision) and heading towards the mountains that marked the end of his world, Clis came out of hiding. He glanced fervently around, afraid of getting caught, and then made off with the staff.

**A/N: More reviews people, and the next chapter will be up!**


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